the most beautiful thing: obama

I have been inspired over the last few months about the opportunity we have to make a difference more than I ever have. I am heartened that many of my peers, the young professionals of the country, feel the same. Even my mother is excited! We all know that the executive position is only one in many cogs in Washington. Alone, our president can do nothing. Or can’t he?

Here’s something he can do nearly alone: lead. In the business world, there is a strong distinction made between “management” and “leadership”. Managing people is about overseeing strong systems that support work loads, seeing to organizational details, and making the structures that hold a team or company together as efficient as possible – that’s what a good manager does. A good leader, though, is someone who increases loyalty to the mission, motivates participation, and increases an employee’s personal sense of ownership in the organization. Isn’t that what we need most right now?

We must all get involved and though I am confident that Barack Obama has the skill and experience to help manage Washington well by taking the powerful executive seat and fostering cooperation with the Senate and Congress among others, I am even more confident that he can lead us well. In doing so, he will help us all to lead our economy and international standing out of the dregs, strengthen family and environmental values, and bring our troops home safely. Because we’re all in this together, we need to create change together. There is no one better qualified or ready to take up the cause for our movement in the right direction than Barack Obama.

I think this, one of the Obama | Biden campaign’s latest ads, shows a man who deeply cares, understands the issues and is ready to lead us. This is the kind of beauty we need in Washington come January 20, 2009. Hell, we’ve needed it for such a long time… and now’s our chance to have it!

Are you registered to vote? Visit www.voteforchange.com to check, find out your polling place, etc. Please consider going “mail in” ballot so that nothing comes between you or your vote!

I’ve found what I think may be and remain my favorite little jazz club in Santiago. El Perseguidor is an intimate, softly-lit club in the heart of the Bellavista Barrio in Santiago’s north-central area of Providencia, just a short walk from Pablo Neruda’s famous house in the city called La Chascona. The service at El Perseguidor […]

Shortly after arriving in Sangtiago, Chile I am excited. I’ve seen a number of stellar jazz musicians and feel that, while somewhat on the small side, the jazz scene here is alive, appreciative and open to new things. I am looking forward to finding my way around, meeting lots of musicians and getting back on […]

I heard from Walter Fordham today, the Director of The Chronicles of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, that he has chosen my jazz track Clear Blue Sky for a series of online radio broadcasts for The Chronicles. The series is called The Essential Chogyam Trungpa and features talks by Carolyn Gimian and Barry Boyce on dharma teachings […]

I am happy to tell you about a feature in this week’s Dharma/Arte online magazine! The segment includes three of my songs, lyrics, and thoughts on each, as well as inclusion of a piece I wrote “Why I write music.” Please visit the site, leave comments for them there, and please also support the magazine […]

I do, from time to time, imagine and sort of formulate the answer to the question: Why do you write music? And tonight, I think it is a simple one to answer. I don’t. Not so simple to elaborate upon, my answer. Really, I don’t. I don’t write music. The music writes me. I don’t […]

What can I say? I am not gigging right now, but I am swimming in music. Studying more, writing tons, and loving my life in the sweet-n-sour, bitter-n-bold, quiet-n-melodious way that makes me feel like what is happening (or isn’t) is perfect. Whatever is born out into the world from this time, I will be […]

Hi everyone! It’s been a few months since you heard from me here and my, how time flies! I’ve been immersed in creative projects, writing and re-writing, laying low under the winter snow and wind and watching for what’s next. After a high-energy fall run with The Boyfriend, my favorite six-piece musical lovers, I went into recluse […]

It was just after sound check for last night’s CD Launch party for Under the Apple at The b.side Lounge that the boys brought the day’s press to my attention. I’d been so preoccupied with the prep for the show, I forgot to check the papers to see if any of my press contact paid off. […]

We had a great time at KGNU last week and I was so appreciative of the hospitality of the crew, the sharpness of the sound team, and the enthusiasm of the Jazz & Beyond host, Sara Dee. The Boyfriend & I played a five-song set the featured music from Under the Apple, a couple of […]

Under the Apple Heather Marie Philipp Yours is a very eclectic sample. Many styles combine in these haunting tunes, but invariably, they create an inviting canvas for your sensuous vocals. I hear hints of jazzy Cassandra Wilson, feeling-saturated Radiohead, breath-carressing Joss Stone, and delicately-poignant David Sylvian. I would dare classify this album […]